Perfect Dark Zero
Perfect Dark Zero is a first-person shooter video game developed by Rare and published by Microsoft exclusively for the Xbox 360 video game console. With respect to storyline, Perfect Dark Zero is a prequel to the successful Nintendo 64 game Perfect Dark, made in 2000. Zero takes place in the year 2020, predating the original Perfect Dark's storyline by three years. Story The story is set in 2020, three years prior to the events of the original game. Joanna Dark is a bounty hunter working with her father Jack and her friend Chandra. On Joanna's first mission, they rescue a scientist named Zeigler from the hands of a Triad crime lord, Killian. Zeigler uses a neurodrive to implant information into Jack's mind. Jack gets captured by a megacorporation known as dataDyne, and Joanna rescues her father, only for Jack to die at the hands of Mai-Hem, whose father, Zhang Li, is dataDyne's founder. Joanna is then sent on a mission to find Dr. Eustace Caroll, who then uses the same neurodrive technology to extract any memory of the words her father said concerning Ziegler's secrets. Dr. Caroll is then killed by Chandra, who is secretly working for Zhang Li. Joanna joins the Carrington Institute and infiltrates a mining operation in an ancient Peruvian Temple where she discovers the conspiracy. Zhang Li and Mai-Hem are searching for an ancient artifact, which acts as a power-source for the Graal, a device which endows individuals with superhuman powers, hinted to have been built by the Maians, extraterrestrials encountered in Perfect Dark Zero's sequel. Traveling to Africa, Joanna rescues prisoners including Jonathan and several other Carrington soldiers, before running into Mai-Hem again. Joanna avenges her father's death and kills Mai-Hem and the party is air-lifted out. The Carrington Institute plans an offensive on dataDyne forces with the battle taking place on a large bridge. Joanna infiltrates an arena and faces off against Zhang Li, on the Graal after he dispatches Chandra. Defeating the seemingly invincible power-hungry genius, Joanna is met by Jonathan and Daniel Carrington. When Joanna asks, "How did I do, Boss?" Carrington replies, "Perfect." Production and Development In September 2002, Rare Ltd was purchased by Microsoft. Around the same time, Rare released several images of Joanna Dark, the protagonist of the Perfect Dark games. The "cartoony" style of these pictures incited speculation that the final game — then intended for the original Xbox — would employ a less realistic graphical style than the original game; possibly an anime like cel-shading technique, (Rare had hired UK Manga artist Wil Overton to work with them, after seeing an anime-like image of the Original Perfect Dark game he had created for the cover of N64 Magazine.) Development of the title was later transferred to the Xbox 360. Perfect Dark Zero's senior designer Chris Tilston (also one of the project leads for the game) later revealed that the Xbox version was "about twelve months away" from completion when the switch occurred. Perfect Dark Zero Limited Collector's Edition with all the extras.In 2005, one of the rewards in the OurColony viral marketing campaign for Microsoft's next Xbox video game console was an image of Joanna Dark. At the official unveiling of the Xbox 360 on May 12, 2005, it was revealed that Perfect Dark Zero would be a launch title for the new system in the fall of 2005. The game's development has therefore spanned three platforms: the Nintendo GameCube, the Microsoft Xbox and the Xbox 360. Final development for the 360 was very rushed, with Rare feeling that when the final build was sent to Microsoft for certification, the build was so buggy it may not have passed. The order was given to produce the discs five days before the Microsoft certification was complete, to meet the Xbox 360 launch date. Zero was released in two forms: the standard version and a "Limited Collector's Edition." The collector's edition features a second disc of content, a black metal game case, images of the staff and most of the in-house testers which gave a glimpse behind the scenes at Rare, a comic booklet set in the Perfect Dark universe, which sets the scene for the game, and one of nine holographic collectible cards. Graphics The graphics could go up to 720p but could also be played on standard definition TV's. Collectors edition The Collectors edition came with the game a bonus DVD which had a Perfect dark theme,trailers for Rare's new game.It also came with a free miniature magazine leading up to the events of the game and a limited edition glyph. Reviews Review scores * 1UP.com A * Edge 7 of 10 * Electronic Gaming Monthly 7.83 of 10 * Game Informer 7 of 10 * GamePro 4 of 5 * GameSpot 9 of 10 * GameTrailers 9 of 10 * IGN 8.4 of 10 Aggregate scores * Game Rankings 81% * Metacritic 81 of 100 * MobyGames 88 of 100 Awards GameSpot Editors' Choice16